


Cannon Fire

by puffintalia



Series: Tumblr Prompts [3]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: M/M, Pirates, Swordfighting, all that fun stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25842082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puffintalia/pseuds/puffintalia
Summary: Under attack from rival pirates, Jan hopes an old bond will pay off just in time.
Relationships: Netherlands/Portugal (Hetalia)
Series: Tumblr Prompts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2052669
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Cannon Fire

**Author's Note:**

> From the drabble challenge on tumblr: 29: "Come over here and make me"

Cannons. The sound of cannons blasting through the air, making everything rock and shake violently, waves crashing onto splintering timber. Salt and gunpowder filled the air, the smell overpowering. Disorientating - or it would be if he wasn’t used to it. The second he found a safe path, there would be another deafening  _ boom _ and the ship would lurch again, sending guns and swords skittering across the deck. 

And through it all, there was laughter. Smug, familiar laughter. Him.

Jan looked around, confused. The ship alongside his was old and grand - it would have been impressive if he didn’t know it so well. Shining figureheads and gold inlays only meant so much. A pretty ship never stopped anyone from being an arrogant, insufferable bastard. The laughter drew closer, ringing in his ears. The cannons were loud, but this was different. A personal game.

He reached for his sword, only to find it gone. A flash of green between the sails and - there! There, hanging onto the rigging, gloating down at him in a way that made Jan want to slap the grin off his face.

He gritted his teeth. “Will you shut the fuck up?” 

“Why don’t you come up here and make me?” Rafael drew his sword - Jan’s sword - with a flourish, clinging to the ropes with his other hand. Pretentious as always, but an impressive feat considering how aggressively it was swaying. He didn’t envy his position.

Just to annoy him, Jan refused his challenge, tempting as it was. “What the fuck do you want?”

Rafael thought for a second.  _ Huh. Didn’t know he could do that. _ “What don’t I want?”

Faster than Jan could comprehend, he swung down, sword slashing the sails. He landed and pinned Jan against the mast, the sword tucked under his chin. Slowly tilting it up, even though Jan was a good six inches taller. 

“Gold, glory… a chance to see my favourite rival.”

“Antonio’s not here,” Jan replied, bitter. Idiot Spaniard, probably living like a king back home while he sent Jan to the other ends of the Earth to do his dirty work.

“Good thing he’s not my favourite.” Rafael winked as he pushed his sword up higher. He looked over his shoulder. 

The brawl breaking out by the doors made it pretty clear his partner (captain? What was their deal, anyway?) had just disappeared into the hold. Gunshots rang out, barely audible over the creaking of the shattered deck. It was clear his men were losing - for once, his trade was completely legitimate, so many of his best fighters had opted to enjoy their chance at a break. It was almost as if Kirkland had known he was weak, known when he was most defenceless. God, they didn’t stand a chance. His sailors laid strewn on the floor, the few who still could moaning in pain at every rock and swell of the waves. To think he’d once trusted him with his life. He looked down at the other man in front of him as best he could, his jaw set in grim determination.

As Rafael raised the sword, he turned his face away.

It hit the mast right next to his face, driving in with a force that splintered the old wood. Jan winced. Hand still on the hilt, Rafael leaned in close, dropping the theatrics to whisper in Jan’s ear. 

“Just doing what I have to to keep Arthur happy. You know how it is.” He checked over his shoulder. “If you want to live to see tomorrow, I need you to listen to me.” He raised an eyebrow. “Unless you really are willing to die for my brother. But somehow I doubt that.”

Jan shook his head. “You’re a dick.” It was more out of habit than any real feeling. How many times had they played this charade?

“Oh, I’m anything for you, you know that.” Rafael laughed, twirling the sword as he turned away. Jan knelt behind him, the same act of defeat he always played. “I’ll tell everyone you put up a good fight. You owe me one, Mogens.” He shrugged, watching Arthur emerge victorious with the cargo. “Sorry about your boat.”

“You better be.”


End file.
